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About Us
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Funding Criteria
Apply for Funding

Stage 1: Is your project eligible for funding?

To help the communities we serve celebrate in our success, we invest a percentage of our trading profit back in to projects that we feel will really make a difference.

If you think your local community would benefit from a project that requires some help with funding, then hopefully we can help.

Next Round of Applications Close

31st July 2022

Before you start filling in your application, there is some essential criteria to check, to ensure your project is eligible for consideration:

  • The applicant must be a full member of Central England Co-operative*
  • Beneficiaries must be communities in which Central England Co-operative trades
  • Applicants must be able to clearly explain the benefit to the community in relation to following four key areas: food, health and wellbeing, inclusion and the environment
  • Grants available range from £100 to £5,000. The average grant is £2,000
  • The project must be consistent with Co-operative Values and Principles*
  • Applications to pay for or part fund vehicles, fund large scale projects *** or for the benefit of one individual will not be considered
  • Local good causes, community groups, charities and social enterprises, including Community Interest Companies (CIC), are eligible to apply. Applicants need to be a not for private profit organisation to be considered

*Criteria includes being a member for a minimum of six months

**Our values can be found at https://www.ica.coop/en/cooperatives/cooperative-identity

***We will consider funding a defined part of a larger project, such as the refurbishment of premises, if the project will be completed within the Society’s financial year and there is distinct clarity on what part of the project or item the Society would be funding

Before you begin filling in the application form, please be aware we will require the following information:

  • Your details
  • Organisation details and what it does
  • Organisation type
  • The amount of funding you are applying for and what it will be spent on
  • Which one or more of the four criteria listed above does your application meet and how any funding will support your work in this area or areas
  • Your organisation will need a bank account

To help you tackle the application form, you can now save the form at any time and return to it at a later date.

If you have any questions about an application please contact us prior to applying and we'll be happy to help.

The fields below, in red are missing information.




Successful awards will be given for four broad categories of projects:

  1. Fund-raising efforts of a school, college, community organisation or group, residential or day-care facility or hospital project.
  2. Contributions towards a voluntary, self-help or ‘not-for profit’ organisation other than those listed above.
  3. Donations to a local charity or cause, or the local branch of a national charity, that will benefit the local community, for example the provision of equipment, enhancement of the physical environment, training or education programme.
  4. Contributions to environmental and social projects that will enhance the local community or raise awareness of environmental issues amongst local residents.

The following requests for funding will not be supported:

  1. Start-up costs;
  2. Awards that benefit one individual (for example personal equipment, bursaries or scholarships)
  3. Awards for one-off events such as fetes or festivals
  4. Awards for running costs such as staff costs or room hire

Why you need to be a Central England Co-operative Member to apply for a Community Dividend Award for your project:

  1. Central England Co-operative welcome applications for projects that benefit the communities we serve in our trading area.
  2. Our Members contribute towards the 1% of our trading profit which enables us to support projects in this way.
  3. Since 2007, our members have helped us to fund over £1 million of projects in our local area through the Community Dividend Scheme.
  4. Being a member for a minimum of 6 months ensures we are getting contributions from engaged members.


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Feel free to contact us: enquiries@centralengland.coop
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